Salvors on board the cargo ship Rena hope to begin pumping water from the space around the ship's starboard five tank today.

The salvage crew are finalising the sealing of patches on a coffer dam that will give them access to the starboard tank, containing about 358 tonnes of oil, which is underwater.

Salvors are working to seal the patches of the coffer dam to access the starboard number five tank, which is underwater. Photo: Maritime New Zealand.

Maritime New Zealand salvage unit manager Kenny Crawford says the second of two patches forming the dam have been installed and with salvors are now sealing the patches.

Once this is completed water can start to be pumped from the space.

The sea remains relatively calm, with swells of less than a metre. Swells are expected to increase over the next couple of days, but are not expected to disrupt pumping of oil.

MNZ national on scene commander Nick Quinn says aerial monitoring of oil sheen around the ship and of the Bay of Plenty coastline is continuing, with shoreline clean up assessment teams this morning working around Matakana Island and other areas as required.

Nick says while there has been no fresh reports of oil overnight, small quantities of oil continued to leak from the duct keel and pockets within the ship, where it is trapped.

'This is causing a light sheen in the immediate vicinity of Rena, but the north-east conditions mean that it could head ashore, with some landing along Papamoa, possibly today or tomorrow.”

Defence Force personnel will also today be checking up to 50 kilometres of coastline for oil deposits.

Nick says there are various volunteer clean ups organised for today, and encourages anyone with a few spare hours to help out.

'It looks like its going to be a beautiful day in the Bay, so it would be fantastic to see as many people out there as possible to give us a hand.” More information about today's clean up events can be found at on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council's website.

Penguins at the Oiled Wildlife Recovery Centre are moving into their new homes – aviaries complete with swimming pools. They will live in these until it is safe for them to be returned, possibly in several months.

A community meeting will be held at Maruohinemaka Marae, Waihau Bay at 2pm today, to update people on the oil spill response.